Portable collapsible combination fisherman&#39;s seat, shelter, and toboggan



Jan. 16, 1962 R. E. ANDERSON 3,017,194

PORTABLE COLLAPSIBLE COMBINATION FISHERMAN'S SEAT, SHELTER, AND TOBOGGAN Filed Dec. 23, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Y 206521" E- ANDERSON ATTORNEYS Jan. 16, 1962 R. E. ANDERSON 94 PORTABLE COLLAPSIBLE COMBINATION FISHERMAN'S SEAT, SHELTER, AND TOBOGGAN Filed Dec. 23, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 34 o ,4 I a )4 /3' INVENTOR. EOBEQT E- ANDEP-SQN BY 7%Wmm .QMMAM- ATTQBNIVS United States Patent 3,017,194 PORTABLE COLLAPSIBLE COMBINATION FISH- ERMANS; SEAT, SHELTER, AND TOBOGGAN Robert E. Anderson, 714 Schultz Sh, Merrill, Wis. Filed Dec. 23, 1959, Ser. No. 861,653 10 Claims. ((21. 280-18) This invention relates to a novel portable and collapsible combination seat, shelter, and toboggan.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a compact and strong combination device of the kind indicated which is easily knocked down and set up, and wherein the toboggan serves as a closed container for a collapsible ground-supported seat or base component, and the toboggan container can be unfolded and installed upon the base component so as to serve as a covered booth shelter for a fisherman seated on the seat component, the toboggan being devised to receive and contain the base component in collapsed condition and accessories and then serve as a sledge to be easily drawn over the ground or over ice, and stored, as in the trunk compartment of an automobile.

Another object of the invention is to provide an uncomplex and easily manufactured device of the character indicated above which is composed of a small number of simple and easily assembled parts, which lend themselves to be made of a variety of sheet or plate materials, such as wood, plywood, lightweight metals, and fiberglass or other reinforced composition materials.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following de- ,Scription and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form of the in? vention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a device of the invention in collapsed condition for storage or for being drawn over the ground or over ice;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view showing the toboggan component opened and disclosing the collapsed base component and accessories therein;

FIGURE 3 isa bottom plan view of FIGURE 1, showing the runners;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged vertical transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a front perspective view showing the container toboggan opened and installed upon the base or seat component in opened condition, providing a covered sheltered seat;

FIGURE 6 is an exploded front perspective view of the sheltered seat;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the seat or base component in partially collapsed condition;

FIGURE 8 is a vertical transverse section taken on the l e 8-8 of FI RE FIGURE 9 is ,a horizontal section taken on the line 9 9ofFlGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a horizontal section taken on the line 19- 10 of FIGURES; vand,

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 11711 of FIGURE 9.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the illustrated combination device comprises a toboggan pontainer 10, a seat or base component 12, a seat panel 14, and a base componentbrace 16.

The toboggan container 10 comprises a shallow, longitudinally elongated, pan-shaped body having a flat botm all 1 P pendicular sidewalls 20 and 22 extend? nga u h Sides of th b ttom wall 18 and onform to the curvedly upturned forward end wall 24 on the forward end of the bottom wall, and a perpendicular 3,017,194 n d Jan.- 1 1 562 rear end wall 26. On the upper part of forward end wall 24 is fixed a transverse horizontal and forwardly projecting cross bar 28, to spaced points of which a pull rope 30 can be secured, for towing the toboggan over the ground or over snow or ice. The toboggan body can be desirably and inexpensively made strong, rigid, and weather or wear-resistant, by molding the same in one piece, as of reinforced fiberglass, with laterally spaced longitudinal ribs 31 projecting from the underside of the bottom wall 18, to serve as sled runners.

Hingedly secured, as by means of a full length piano hinge 32, to the upper edge of the right-hand sidewall 22, is the inner edge of a rectangular flat inner panel 34 which is somewhat narrower than the toboggan body and has a free outer edge 36 and a rear end edge 38, and which has fixed centrally to its underside 40 a spacer block 42, for a purpose hereinafter described. Similarly hinged on the upper edge of the left-hand sidewall 20, as by means of a full length piano hinge 44, is the inner edge of a fiat rectangular outer panel 46 which is narrower than the toboggan body and of the same width as the inner panel 34-, and overlaps the inner panel in the closed position of the panels, as shown in FIGURES 1, 3 and 4. As shown in FIGURE 4, the upper edges of the body side-walls 20 and 22, in the case of a molded plastic body, are reinforced by embedded bars 47 and 458, respectively, to which the piano hinges are directly anchored.

The base or seat component 12 comprises, as clearly shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, a pair of similar flat rectangular and elongated outer panels or wings 50 which are inside-hinged together at their adjacent ends 52, as indicated at 54, and have free ends 56, straight unindented upper edges 58, and lower edges 60 which are cut out between their ends so as to define clearances 61 and longitudinally spaced ground-engaging inner and outer feet 62 and 64, respectively, at related ends of the wings.

Suitably fixed on the inward sides of the wing panels 50, at their upper edges 58 and close to their free ends 56, are longitudinal slide bolt assemblies 66 which have bolts 68 which are parallel to the upper edges 58, Suitably fixed, as indicated at 70, to the wing panels 50, at points intermediate the lengths of the pper edges 58, are brackets 72 which have external longitudinal blocks 74 at the outward sides of the panels 50, flush with the upper edges 58. i

For further securing the toboggan container 10 installed on the opened base component 12, hook flanges 75 are suitably secured, as indicated at '77, in FIGURE 11, to the underside of the container rear end wall 26, to engage over the external bracket blocks 74.

Extending between and hinged to the wing panels 50, at points intermediate the ends thereof, is a folda'ble brace 76, which is composed of two similar flat rectangular panels 78 which are hinged together at their adjacent inner edges, as indicated at 80, and are severally hinged at their outer ends to the wing panels :50, as indicated at 8 2. The brace panels 78 have unindented straight upper edges 84 which are on a level with the upper edges 58 of the wing panels, and lower .edges 86 which are on a level with the lower edges 60 of the wing panels, the lower edges 86 having cut-outs 88 therein which define spaced groundengaging feet 90 and 92 at related ends of the brace panels. As shown in FIG.- URES 4 and 7, the lengths and widths of the brace panels 78 and of the wing panels 50 are proportioned so that the base component 12 can be collapsed to a flat condition and freely disposed within the toboggan container 10 for storage and transportation therein. A loose right triangular brace panel 94 is provided to brace the s e. at or base component 12 in its opened, set-up condition, and is supported across the brace 76 and the wing panels 50 upon the upper edges thereof, so that the seat component is rigidly braced in open condition. As shown in FIGURES 6, 8 and 11, the brace panel 16 has depending flanges 97 along two edges and a base flange 99*, which is spaced at its ends from the outer flanges 97, as indicated at 101. The flanges 97 are engaged with the outward sides of the wing panels and the base flange 99 is engaged at its ends with the inward sides of the wing panels 50.

The seat panel 14 is of elongated flat rectangular shape and is slightly shorter in length than the interior width of the body of the toboggan container 19 across which it extends, as shown in FIGURES 9 and 10. The seat panel 14 is hinged, as indicated at 100, along its inward or rear edge 102, upon the inward or forward side of the rear end Wall 26 of the body, along the upper edge thereof, the seat panel 14 being swingable out of the body, as indicated in FIGURES 2 and 8 to 10, from a collapsed condition within the body over the collapsed base component 12, as shown in FIGURE 4. The toboggan container 10 is used as a shelter component when installed upon the opened seat component 12 with its rear end wall 26 resting upon the upper edges 58 of the wing panels 50 and upon the bracket blocks 74, as shown in FIGURES 9 and 10, and with the inner panel 34 and outer panel 46 opened into alignment with the base component wing panels 50, so as to serve as shelter sides.

Suitably fixed on the underside of the seat panel 14 and extending along its forward or free edge 104- is an anchoring block or cleat 196 which has a flat undersurface 108 to bear upon the upper edges 84 of the brace panels 78, and a depending shoulder 110 to bear against the forward sides of the brace panels, whereby the brace panels are held against collapsing forwardly, at the same time that the seat panel 14 is supported in horizontal position.

The toboggan cover or side panels 34 and 46 have suitably fixed on their inward sides, in locations at their lower edges and near their free edges, bolt keeper barrel assemblies 112, in locations to be securably engaged by the bolts 68 of the bolt assemblies 66 on the base component wing panels 50, whereby the shelter side panels 34 and 46 are prevented from swinging and are held in vertical alignment with the wing panels 50' and extend forwardly of the seat panel 14 at the ends thereof, so as to shelter the seat panel and the occupant thereof from both sides, from wind, rain, and snow. In this context, the forward end wall of the toboggan body, which is then uppermost, provides limited but substantial overhead coverage for the seat panel 14 and an occupant thereof.

Adjustable stops, such as storm window buttons 114, are mounted on the ends of the anchoring block or cleat 106 in a location spaced behind the shoulder 110, to be turned so as to engage behind the brace panels 78, so as to keep these panels from hinging out of coplanar relationship in which they serve to hold the wings 50, and hence the side panels 34 and 46, from hinging toward each other, from the open positions shown in FIGURES 5 and 6.

The spacer block 42 on the inner panel 34 of the toboggan container 10 is dimensioned to rest upon the collapsed base component 12, when stored in the container, as shown in FIGURE 4, so that the panels 34 and 46 are prevented from subsiding below the level of the open top of the container, and so that there is provided between these panels and the base component 12, storage space for such as fishing equipment and accessories (not shown). As shown in FIGURE 4, the brace panel 76 is stored loose in the container, as beneath the base component, with the seat panel 14 hinged onto the base component.

While there has been shown and described herein a preferred form of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily confined thereto,

and that any change or changes in the structure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof are contemplated as being within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

l. A portable and collapsible combination seat, shelter, and toboggan comprising a collapsible base component having an upper end, a pan-shaped toboggan container having a bottom wall, first and second end walls and sidewalls, and ground-engaging runners on the underside of said bottom wall, said base component being storable in said container in a collapsed condition, said container having overlapping inner and outer cover panels hinged on related sidewalls to enclose the collapsed base component in the container, said base component being adapted to be removed from the container and installed in erect position on a support in opened condition, with the container imposed upon the base component with said first end Wall resting upon the base component, with the cover panels of the container opened so as to provide shelter sides, means releasably securing the container in place on the base component, and a seat panel hinged on the inward side of said first container end wall to store within the container, said seat panel being swingable out of the container to rest upon the upper end of the base component.

2. A portable and collapsible combination seat, shelter, and toboggan comprising a collapsible base component having an upper end, a pan-shaped toboggan container having a bottom wall, first and second end walls and sidewalls, and ground-engaging runners on the underside of said bottom wall, said base component being storable in said container in a collapsed condition, said container having overlapping inner and outer cover panels hinged on related sidewalls to enclose the collapsed base component in the container, said base component being adapted to be removed from the container and installed in erect position on a support in opened condition, with the container imposed upon the base component with said first end wall resting upon the base component, with the cover panels of the container opened so as to provide shelter sides, means releasably securing the container in place on the base component, and a seat panel hinged on the inward side of said first container end wall to store within the container, said seat panel being swingable out of the container to rest upon the upper end of the base component, said base component comprising a pair of wing panels having lower edges to rest upon a supporting surface and upper edges and free and adjacent edges, the adjacent edges being hinged together to enable opening the wing panels into divergent angular relationship from superimposed collapsed relationship, a foldable brace extending between and hinged at its ends to the wing panels, said brace having an upper edge upon which said seat panel rests.

3. A portable and collapsible combination seat, shelter, and toboggan comp-rising a collapsible base component having an upper end, a pan-shaped toboggan container having a bottom wall, first and second end walls and sidewalls, and ground-engaging runners on the underside of said bottom wall, said base component being storable in said container in a collapsed condition, said container having overlapping inner and outer cover panels hinged, on related sidewalls to enclose the collapsed base component in the container, said base component being adapted to he removed from the container and installed in erect position on a support in opened condition, with the container imposed upon the base component with said first end wall resting upon the base component, with the cover panels of the container opened so as to provide shelter sides, means releasably securing the container in place on the base component, and a seat panel hinged on the inward side of said first container end wall to store within the container, said seat panel being swirl-gable out of the container to rest upon the upper end of the base compo- Dent, said base component comprising a pair of wing panels having lower edges to rest upon a supporting surface and upper edges and free and adjacent edges, the adjacent edges being hinged together to enable opening the wing panels into divergent angular relationship from superimposed collapsed relationship, a foldable brace extending between and hinged at its ends to the wing panels, said brace having an upper edge upon which said seat panel rests, said brace comprising a pair of hingedly connected brace panels arranged to fold together toward the hinged ends of the wing panels.

4. A portable and collapsible combination seat, shelter, and toboggan comprising a collapsible base component having an upper end, a pan-shaped toboggan container having a bottom wall, first and second end walls and sidewalls, and ground-engaging runners on the underside of said bottom wall, said base component being storable in said container in a collapsed conidtion, said container.-;.

having overlapping inner and outer cover panels hinged on related sidewalls to enclose the collapsed base component in the container, said base component being adapted to be removed from the container and installed in erect position on a support in opened condition, with the container imposed upon the base component with said first end wall resting upon the base component, with the cover panels of the container opened so as to provide shelter sides, means releasably securing the container in place on the base component, and a seat panel hinged on the inward side of said first container end wall to store within the container, said seat panel being swingable out of the container to rest upon the upper end of the base component, said base component comprising a pair of wing panels having lower edges to rest upon a supporting surface and upper edges and free and adjacent edges, the adjacent edges being hinged together to enable opening the wing panels into divergent angular relationship from superimposed collapsed relationship, a foldable brace extending between and hinged at its ends to the wing panels, said brace having an upper edge upon which said seat panel rests, said brace comprising a pair of hingedly connected brace panels arranged to fold together toward the hinged ends of the wing panels, said seat panel having a cleat fixed on its underside and engaging one side of the brace panels and holding the brace panels in line with each other so as to hold the wing panels in divergent relationsh p, and adjustable stops on the ends of the cleat engaged with the other sides of the brace panels.

5. A portable and collapsible combination seat, shelter, and toboggan comprising a collapsible base component having an upper end, a pan-shaped toboggan container having a bottom wall, first and second end walls and sidewalls, and ground-engaging runners on the underside of said bottom wall, said base component being storable in said container in a collapsed condition, said container having overlapping inner and outer cover panels hinged on related sidewalls to enclose the collapsed base component in the container, said base component being adapted to be removed from the container and installed in erect position on a support in opened condition, with the container imposed upon the base component with said first end Wall resting upon the base component, with the cover panels of the container opened so as to provide shelter sides, means releasably securing the container in place on the base component, and a seat panel hinged on the inward side of said first container end wall to store within the container, said seat panel being swingable out of the container to rest upon the upper end of the base component, said base component comprising a pair of wing panels having lower edges to rest upon a supporting surface and upper edges and free and adjacent edges, the adjacent edges being hinged together to enable opening the wing panels into divergent angular relationship from superimposed collapsed relationship, a foldable brace extending between and hinged at its ends to the wing panels, said brace having an upper edge upon which said seat panel rests, said brace comprising a pair of hingedly connected brace panels arranged to fold together toward the hinged ends of the wing panels, said seat panel having a cleat fixed on its underside engaging one side of the brace panels and holding the brace panels in line with each other so as to hold the wing panels in divergent relationship, the cover panels of the toboggan container being opened to vertical alignment with and resting upon the upper edges of the wing panels, said securing means comprising interen-gaged securing elements severally mounted on related cover panels and wing panels, and adjustable stop means on the ends of the cleat engaging ,the other sides of the brace panels.

6. A portable and collapsible combination seat, shelter, and toboggan comprising a collapsible base component having an upper end, a pan-shaped toboggan container having a bottom wall, first and second end walls and sidewalls, and ground-engaging runners on the underside of said bottom wall, said base component being storable in said container in a collapsed condition, said container having overlapping inner and outer cover panels hinged on related sidewalls to enclose the collapsed base components in the container, said base component being adapted to be removed from the container and installed in erect position on a support in opened condition, with the container' imposed upon the base component with said first end wall resting upon the base component, with the cover panels of the container opened so as to provide shelter sides, means releasably securing the container in place on the base component, and a seat panel hinged on the inward side of said first container end wall to store within the container, said seat panel being swingable out of the container to rest upon the upper end of the base component, said base component comprising a pair of wing panels having lower edges to rest upon a supporting surface and upper edges and free and adjacent edges, the adjacent edges being hinged together to enable opening the wing panels into divergent angular relationship from superimposed collapsed relationship, a foldable brace extending between and hinged at its ends to the wing panels, said brace having an upper edge upon which said seat panel rests, said brace comprising a pair of hingedly connected brace panels arranged to fold together toward the hinged ends of the wing panels, said seat panel having a cleat fixed on its underside engaging one side of the brace panels and holding the brace panels in line with each other so as to hold the wing panels in divergent relationship, the cover panels of the toboggan container being opened to vertical alignment with and resting upon the upper edges of the wing panels, said securing means comprising interengaged securing elements severally mounted on related cover panels and wing panels, said securing elements comprising slide bolts and bolt keeper barrels, and adjustable stop means on the ends of the cleat and engaged with the other sides of the brace panels.

7. A portable and collapsible combination seat, shelter, and toboggan comprising a collapsible base component having an upper end, a pan-shaped toboggan container having a bottom wall, first and second end walls and sidewalls, and ground-engaging runners on the underside of said bottom wall, said base component being storable in said container in a collapsed condition, said container having overlapping inner and outer cover panels hinged on related sidewalls to enclose the collapsed base component in the container, said base component being adapted to be removed from the container and installed in erect position on a support in opened condition, with the container imposed upon the base component with said first end wall resting upon the base component, with the cover panels of the container opened so as to provide shelter sides, means releasably securing the container in place on the base component, and a seat panel hinged on the inward side of said first container end wall to store within the container, said seat panel being swingable out of the container to rest upon the upper end of the base component, said base component comprising a pair of wing panels having lower edges to rest upon a supporting surface and upper edges and free and adjacent edges, the adjacent edges being hinged together to enable opening the wing panels into divergent angular relationship from superimposed collapsed relationship, a foldable brace extending between and hinged at its ends to the wing panels, said brace having an upper edge upon which said seat panel rests, said brace comprising a pair of hingedly connected brace panels arranged to fold together toward the hinged ends of the wing panels, said seat panel having a cleat fixed on its underside engaging one side of the brace panels and holding the brace panels in line with each other so as to hold the wing panels in divergent relationship, adjustable stops on the ends of the cleat engaging the other side of the brace panels, the cover panels of the toboggan container being opened to vertical alignment with and resting upon the upper edges of the wing panels, said securing means comprising interengaged securing elements severally mounted on related cover panels and wing panels, said securing elements comprising slide bolts and bolt keeper barrels, and external bracket blocks on the Wing panels, and hook flanges on the underside of said first end wall of the container engaged over the bracket blocks.

8. A portable and collapsible combination seat, shelter, and toboggan comprising a collapsible base component having an upper end, a pan-shaped toboggan container having a bottom wall, first and second end walls and sidewalls, and ground-engaging runners on the underside of said bottom wall, said base component being storable in said container in a collapsed condition, said container having overlapping inner and outer cover panels hinged on related sidewalls to enclose the collapsed base component in the container, said base component being adapted to be removed from the container and installed in erect position on a support in opened condition, with the container imposed upon the base component with said first end wall resting upon the base component, with the cover panels of the container opened so as to provide shelter sides, means releasably securing the container in place on the base component, said first end wall being the containers rear end wall and said second end wall being an upwardly and forwardly curved forward end wall.

9. A portable and collapsible combination seat, shelter, and toboggan comprising a collapsible base component having an upper end, a pan-shaped toboggan container having a bottom wall, first and second end walls and sidewalls, and ground-engaging runners on the underside of said bottom wall, said base component being storable in said container in a collapsed condition, said container having overlapping inner and outer cover panels hinged on related sidewalls to enclose the collapsed base component in the container, said base component being adapted to be removed from the container and installed in erect position on a support in opened condition, with the container imposed upon the base component with said first end wall resting upon the base component, with the cover panels of the container opened so as to provide shelter sides, means releasably securing the container in place on the base component, said first end wall being the containers rear end wall and said second end wall being an upwardly and forwardly curved forward end wall, said container being a monolithic moled form.

10. A portable and collapsible combination seat, shelter, and toboggan comprising a collapsible base component having an upper end, a pan-shaped toboggan container having a bottom wall, first and second end walls and sidewalls, and ground-engaging runners on the underside of said bottom wall, said base component being storable in said container in a collapsed condition, said container having overlapping inner and outer cover panels hinged on related sidewalls to enclose the collapsed base component in the container, said base component being adapted to be removed from the container and installed in erect position on a support in opened condition, with the container imposed upon the base component with said first end wall resting upon the base component, with the cover panels of the container opened so as to provide shelter sides, means releasably securing the container in place on the base component, said first end wall being the containers rear end Wall and said second end wall being an upwardly and forwardly curved forward end wall, said container being a monolithic moled form, having reinforcing bars embedded in the upper edges of its sidewalls to which related cover panels are directly hinged.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,066,616 Frick Jan. 5, 1937 2,301,089 Stevens Nov. 3, 1942 2,328,182 Bales Aug. 31, 1943 2,465,147 Butler et al Mar. 22, 1949 2,473,076 Scheibner June 14, 1949 2,546,588 Ellis Mar. 27, 1951 2,632,454 Stogen Mar. 24, 1953 2,717,160 Schmidt et al Sept. 6, 1955 2,780,471 Lempke Feb. 5, 1957 

